Disney Just Lost 45 Percent of the Country Over the DeSantis Feud

There has always been an oddity in the feud between Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and The Walt Disney Company. It is unusual for a Republican governor to take on his state’s largest employer and one of its largest employers. As an entertainment company, it’s uncommon for Disney to openly fight with a politician and potentially alienate his supporters. And now, that’s where The Walt Disney Company finds themselves.

During last week’s Republican Primary debate, a poll conducted by JL Partners found that nearly 55 percent of Republican voters believed that Governor DeSantis was right to take on Disney. In comparison, only 33 percent disagreed with the governor’s actions. Another 12 percent were undecided. According to Gallup, nearly 45 percent of registered American voters are Republicans. That means Disney could have lost 45 percent of adults over their feud with DeSantis.

However, the Florida governor hasn’t come through this scrap unscathed. He is trailing former president Donald Trump by 40 percent in most nationwide polls. He has tried into a tie for second with former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley in New Hampshire and Iowa. When DeSantis announced his bid for the Republican nomination earlier this year, he was polling at 42 percent in New Hampshire. Today, that number is down to 10. But he has had several missteps, not just his feud with the Walt Disney Company.

James Johnson, co-founder of JL Partners, said:

The sensibles might have decided that Disney had sunk DeSantis. But this poll shows you can never be too anti-woke for the average Republican primary voter. If DeSantis’ campaign has faced difficulties, it is because of the dominance of Trump and its overall performance – not because of the governor’s scrap with Disney.

The feud between Florida Gov Ron DeSantis and Disney began last year when former Disney CEO Bob Chapek criticized the governor and the Florida Legislature for the Parental Rights in Education Act, known by its critics as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The governor reacted by stripping Disney World of its self-governing District, the Reedy Creek Improvement District. DeSantis installed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and filled the Board with political insiders. The new Board has faced several controversies since it took over the Reedy Creek Improvement District.

Disney responded by suing the Governor in Federal Court, claiming government retaliation and that the governor infringed upon its First Amendment Rights. Disney is also suing the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in State Court, claiming that the District violated the Contract Clause of the Constitution.

Related: Employees Flee DeSantis Disney District As It Is No Longer ‘Functional’

But despite Republican voters agreeing with Governor DeSantis, it does not appear they agree with him enough to vote for him. He built his campaign on his “anti-woke” crusade in Florida, but that doesn’t seem enough. With his presidential campaign floundering, DeSantis will likely return to Florida. However, he is term-limited and will leave the governor’s office after the 2026 election.

And that leaves Disney World alone in Florida, having been bruised by this fight, but leaving the state is not an option. Nikki Haley tried to get them to move to South Carolina, but that was not feasible. So, the two combatants will be bloody and bruised and together again in the Sunshine State.

We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.